Optimization of sortation order receptacle filling

This invention relates generally to the field of warehouse automation, and particularly to systems and methods for automated sortation of articles into receptacles.

An article sorting system at a distribution center or warehouse operates to sort articles to destinations, each destination typically represented by a receptacle. The receptacle may be a bin, cardboard box, bag, tote, or any other generic container. As an empty receptacle gets filled with articles being sorted thereinto, for e.g., by such articles being dropped or deposited into the receptacle by an automated device, one or more of the sorted articles deposited into the receptacle may protrude or overhang above the rim of the receptacle even when the receptacle may not actually be full in terms of its cubic capacity and may otherwise still have space available for accepting one or more additional articles. Nonetheless, due to an article present within the receptacle overhanging above the rim of the receptacle, a system or an operator may conclude that the receptacle is ready to be sealed or otherwise needs to be transferred to its next processing location. This results in wasted space and inefficiencies resulting therefrom.

Accordingly, opportunities exist for improving the efficiencies associated with an article sorting system by optimizing the receptacle filling process.

This summary is provided to introduce in a simplified form concepts that are further described in the following detailed descriptions. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it to be construed as limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.

According to one or more embodiments, a system for use in directing a sorting operation is provided. According to at least one embodiment, the system may have a server comprising a memory, a processor, and a receptacle assignment engine. The system further may have a chamber bank comprising at least one chamber configured for receiving a receptacle therein. The chamber is defined by a floor, a left wall, a right wall, and a rear wall that together define a receiving space for a receptacle, wherein at least one of the left and right wall extends above a top rim of the receptacle received therein. The system may also have an automated transport device for transporting and depositing articles into the receptacles. The system may be configured to: assign a first number of articles occupying a first volume to a first receptacle such that the first number of articles overfills the first receptacle when all of the first number of articles are deposited thereinto; and direct an automated transport device to transport and deposit the first count of articles into the first receptacle.

According to one or more embodiments, a chamber bank for use in directing a sorting operation is provided. According to at least one embodiment, the chamber bank may have at least one chamber for receiving a receptacle therein. The chamber may be defined by a floor, a left wall, a right wall, and a rear wall that together define a receiving space for a receptacle. At least one of the left and right wall is taller than the corresponding abutting side wall of the receptacle received therein. A first number of articles occupying a first volume are assigned for deposition into the receptacle such that the first number of articles overfills the receptacle when all of the first number of articles are deposited thereinto.

Below, the technical solutions in the examples of the present invention are depicted clearly and comprehensively with reference to the figures according to the examples of the present invention. Obviously, the examples depicted here are merely some examples, but not all examples of the present invention. In general, the components in the examples of the present invention depicted and shown in the figures herein can be arranged and designed according to different configurations. Thus, detailed description of the examples of the present invention provided in the figures below are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention as claimed, but merely represent selected examples of the present invention. On the basis of the examples of the present invention, all of other examples that could be obtained by a person skilled in the art without using inventive efforts will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As noted earlier, in an article sorting system, when a receptacle is determined to be full by a human operator or by a control system, the receptacle needs to be removed and replaced with an empty receptacle. As an empty receptacle gets filled by articles being sorted thereinto, for e.g., by way of such articles being dropped or deposited into the receptacle by an automated device, one or more of the sorted articles deposited into the receptacle may protrude or overhang above the rim of the receptacle even when the receptacle may not be full in terms of its cubic capacity and may otherwise still have space available for accepting one or more additional articles. Nonetheless, due to an article present within the receptacle extending/protruding above the rim of the receptacle, a system or an operator may conclude that the receptacle is ready to be sealed or is otherwise ready for being transferred to its next location for shipping. This may happen in spite of the receptacle still having some space available to accept one or more additional articles. Embodiments disclosed herein may overcome such limitations by providing for filling up the receptacles more fully without leaving too much in terms of wasted space within the receptacles as the receptacles get filled out with sorted articles.

Embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter accordingly advantageously overcome the limitations of the art by providing for apparatus, systems and methods to sort articles to destination receptacles in a manner that overcomes inherent inefficiencies and inflexibilities present in the current state of the art. Embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter can thus help maximize the filling efficiencies of bins, totes, boxes and other collection containers during the sortation of articles thereinto. Various embodiments disclosed herein provide for apparatus, systems, and methods for overfilling a destination receptacle as and when needed to thereby improve overall operational efficiencies, according to one or more implementations of the presently disclosed subject matter.

Sortation systems used at distribution centers typically require a large number of collection receptacles along with their associated large physical space, large capital costs, and large operating costs. For example, businesses such as pharmacies that distribute medication, for e.g., script packages, need to sort them by store, customer, or shipping service provider before each script package (alternately referred to herein as “script”) is sent to the proper recipient. This procedure is also applicable to businesses that need to sort all other articles such as generic packages, health items, beauty items, and similar other items. Once the script packages are sorted by destination such as, for e.g., store, end customer or end shipping service, these articles are sorted into receptacles for safe shipment to the end destination. Sorted articles may be sorted to totes, mail bags, cardboard boxes, and other kinds of receptacles.

A script provider benefits from maximizing the number of script packages that fit into a receptacle. This is because a script provider is typically charged a certain $ amount per receptacle, e.g., $10 per tote to be shipped. Alternately, the script provider may itself own the transportation means (e.g., tractor trailers) whereby the script provider encumbers direct costs for fuel and labor associated with a sealed script receptacle being shipped including the costs associated with any unused or wasted space remaining within the receptacle. Accordingly, it is beneficial to maximize the packing density of each receptacle to thereby minimize overall transportation costs for the script packages. Increasing the script packages filled into each tote accordingly reduces the overall transportation and handling costs associated with sorting and delivering the script packages to their final destinations.

Several experiments were conducted to maximize the utilization of the receptacle space. During the experiments, it was observed that each receptacle or tote (the terms “receptacle” and “tote” may be used interchangeably) accepted 7.8 script packages thereinto on average before it needed to be “groomed,” wherein a manual operator physically needed to press down and compress (“groom”) the script packages already present in a receptacle to thereby remove air from and between the script bags before further script packages could be deposited into the same tote until it is considered full with maximum space utility or close to it achieved. Through repeated and periodic grooming, the tote could be made to ultimately hold between 25 and 30 script packages before it could receive no more script packages and therefore had to be removed and replaced with an empty tote. It was found that 5 to 6 “grooming” visits by a manual operator were required for each tote to reach the 25-30 script packages count. Each groom equates to labor, which increases costs to the script provider.

Experiments were conducted to find ways for maximizing the number of script packages held per tote while reducing the overall cost of the sortation process. Various tweaks to the equipment were made by including or removing one or more of the transitions (e.g., in the form of ramps) and the casters/wheels. In one embodiment, script packages were diverted to or deposited into a tote until the tote was deemed full by a sensor, e.g., in the form of a photo-eye sensor, and the corresponding script count was recorded. The packages were then “groomed” or packed down to determine the quantity of additional scripts that could diverted into the same tote until the tote was deemed full by the photo-eye sensor again. Grooming was repeated and a 3rd count of scripts diverted, and this 3count was recorded. This process was repeated several times for each configuration and each configuration included at least 25 cycles. Table 1 below provides summarized results of testing and it indicates quantity of scripts diverted before a photo-eye sensor notification is triggered:

Configuration 1 shown in Table 1 included casters on the chamber banks (alternately referred to as “carts”) as well as ramps provided between the platforms or tables and the totes; it was treated as a baseline. The ramps provided a transition for guiding script packages away from the photo-eye sensor. In Configuration 1, about 14.0 scripts were diverted into a tote on average before the first photo-eye sensor notification indicating “tote full” was triggered. Configuration 2 did not include the ramp but included casters. Configuration 2 with a total of 13.0 scripts on average was found to underperform as compared to Configuration 1. Configuration 3 included the ramp but excluded the casters. Configuration 3 showed a 29% increase in total diverts over Configuration 1. This showed that increasing the distance between the tote and the photo-eye sensor resulted in improving the quantity of scripts that could be deposited in the tote before the tote becomes full.

Configuration 4 excluded both the ramp and the casters. Configuration 4 showed a small improvement over Configuration 3; It was observed that one package did not divert successfully into the tote but instead fell to the side of the tote. For Configuration 5, the photo-eye sensor was rotated between 15 and 180 degrees or higher to allow the photo-eye sensor, for e.g., to beam towards a horizontal line a one or more inches above the top rim of the tote. Configuration 5 otherwise excluded both the ramp and the casters. Configuration 5 resulted in a 1.4 script packages improvement over Configuration 3; however, configuration 5 also exhibited a few instances where script packages risked falling out of the tote, for e.g., they were half-in and half-out of the tote. This implied a high risk of tote packages falling outside of the tote when a tote is being overfilled with the ramp is absent; this also implied a high risk of an automated transport vehicle (traveling on a platform for depositing such scripts packages into the tote) dragging one such “half-in half out” script package as the vehicle drives by.

During a second set of experiments, controlled tests were conducted to determine an optimal spacing between the photo-eye sensor and the top rim of a tote. A sample of script packages was created by including 30 cc vials, 90 cc vials and candy boxes packaged into 11″×14″ polybags to create a total of 100 script packages. The breakdown of polybags is shown in the table 2 below:

A mock chamber bank (e.g., a tote cart) for supporting receptacles such as totes was created with the spacing between a top rim of the tote and the photo-eye sensor set at different measurements including spacings of 6″, 8″ and 10″ apart to allow testing of performance under these 3 configurations. The script packages were inducted randomly to represent a real-life sorting operation, with these script packages deposited into a tote until the tote was deemed full by the photo-eye sensor. The results of the script packages count are shown in Table 3 below:

At 10″ (ten inch) spacing, several script packages were found to fall to the ground, which could increase labor costs and decrease efficiency. At 8″ spacing, it was observed that the efficiency was optimized as no script packages fell to the ground even though the number of packages to full was reduced as compared to the 10″ setting. Accordingly, the optimal spacing between the photo-eye sensor and the top of the tote was determined to be 8 inches.

In a subsequent set of experiments, the angle of the transition or ramp was set at various angles with a view to further improving efficiencies. Two configurations of the ramp were finalized and testing at 28 degrees and at 35 degrees were conducted. The experiments indicated that keeping the angle of the chute at 35 degrees is preferable due to the increase in the number of script packages per tote plus the fact that no scripts fell on the ground during sortation. The results are summarized below in Table 4.

The experiments showed that adjusting the spacing between the photo-eye sensor (that recognizes a predetermined percentage of overfill of 1% to 400% or higher for example) and the top rim of a receptacle can advantageously provide room for script packages to stack up above a top rim of a receptacle, thereby maximizing the amount of script packages that can fit into a receptacle while simultaneously minimizing the labor required to achieve this. For example, if 100,000,000 script packages are to be sorted annually, with the original design, this would require 7,142,857 receptacles at 14 script packages/receptacle. However, with the modified design where a receptacle can fit 26.5 script packages it would only require 3,773,585 receptacles. At $10/receptacle cost for shipping, this equates to $33.7 million in annual savings in transportation costs alone. The secondary benefit is that there is no need to “groom” the receptacle with the new design. For example, if a human operator needs to expend about 10 seconds per grooming event to groom a receptacle, the modified design can result in an additional $892,000 in annual labor savings at $15/hour of labor cost (tending to 7,142,857 totes annually at 10 seconds per groom, needing to groom 3 times to reach 14 scripts/tote). Table 5 and Table 6 below provide additional detailed results of testing, indicate quantity of scripts diverted until full photo-eye sensor triggered by Configuration by Test.

depicts an example implementation of chamber bank.depict one or more example implementations of chamberforming part of chamber bank.depict example implementations of chamber bankincluding a sensor such as sensorhaving a range of vision.depicts an example implementation of chamber bankthat includes sensorhaving a range of visionas well as a secondary sensorhaving a secondary range of visionwherein the secondary sensoris positioned lower than sensor.depicts an example implementation of system.depicts an example implementation of a transport devicecarrying thereon an articlefor depositing into receptacle.depicts an example implementation of chamber bankthat includes secondary sensorhaving a secondary range of visionwherein the secondary sensoris positioned lower than sensor.depict exemplary flowcharts of exemplary implementations of an improved sorting system for directing a sorting operation.depicts an example implementation of platform assemblycomprising a platformwith transport devicescarrying thereon articlesfor depositing into a receptacle; the transport deviceto the right is shown to be in the middle of the process of depositing article.

According to various embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, an exemplary system such as system(see) for use in directing a sorting operation is provided.accordingly depicts a block diagram of an improved article sorting system(hereinafter “system”) for use with directing a sorting operation, for e.g., when a destination receptacle is to be overfilled to thereby improve overall operational efficiencies, according to one or more implementations of the presently disclosed subject matter.

In various embodiments, systemcomprises a control server such as server. Whereas the terms “system” and “server” may be used herein interchangeably, it is to be understood that serveris a sub-component of system. Systemfurther comprises a receptacle assignment engine such as receptacle assignment engine, one or more receptacles, one or more article information acquisition devices, a destination information database, a wireless access point, and one or more automated transport devices such as transport devices. Various components of systemare depicted in a representative manner as blocks representing a generic descriptor of the technology. Servercomprises, among other components, a memory, a processor, with serverbeing in communication with or including receptacle assignment engine. Serveraccordingly comprises a memory, a processor, and may further comprise receptacle assignment engine. Transport devices, for example in the form of AMRs, are configured for transporting and depositing articles comprising scripts and script packages into receptacles. Receptacleincludes assigned receptaclesand unassigned receptacles, filled up receptacles such as full receptacles, and replacement receptaclesthat replace full receptacles.

Systemfurther comprises a chamber bank such as chamber bank(see) comprising a group or bank of chambers such as chambers(see). Each chamberis configured for receiving a receptacle such as receptacletherein. According to at least one embodiment, chamberis defined by a floor, a left wall, a right wall, and a rear wallthat together define a receiving space for totes or receptacles such as receptacle. According to at least one embodiment, floorof chamberslopes downward from the rear walltowards the front region of chamber. The sloping of floorcan facilitate the removal of receptacleeither after it is full or after an order associated with the receptacle has been completed. In various embodiments, at least one of left wall, right wall, and rear wallextends above a top rimof receptaclereceived within chamber. In at least one embodiment, receptaclesits within chambersuch that each of left wall, right wall, and rear wallextends one or more inches, for e.g., between 1 inch and 30 inches or more, above top rimof receptacle; this provides for a spacing of between 1 inch and 30 inches or more between the bottom-most point or the bottom-most edge of rampof chamber bankand top rimof receptacle. Transport devicesprovide for transporting and depositing articlesinto receptacles. In one embodiment, a transport devicetravels along platform(see) of platform assemblyfor transporting an articletransporting and depositing an articleinto a receptacle.

According to various embodiments, a chamber bank for use in a sorting operation such as chamber bankis provided. According to various embodiments, chamber bankcomprises one or more chambers. Each chamberis configured for receiving a receptacletherein. Chamberis defined by a floor, a left wall, a right wall, and a rear wallthat together define a receiving space for a receptacle. In various embodiments, at least one of the left, right and rear walls is taller than the corresponding abutting side wall of the receptaclereceived therein. According to various embodiments, chamberof systemfurther comprises a ridgeprovided in a front portion of chamberfor preventing receptaclefrom sliding out of chamber. In at least one embodiment, ridgeextends across a portion of the space between the left and right walls of chamber.

According to at least one embodiment, systemis configured to assign a first number of articlesN that occupy a first volume V to a first receptacleamong a plurality of receptaclessuch that the first number of articles N overfills the first receptaclewhen all of the first number of articles N are deposited thereinto; in at least one embodiment, the “ungroomed” volume of the first number N of articlesexceeds the first volume VR of a first receptacle. Systemis further configured to direct transport deviceto transport and deposit the first number of articlesN into the first receptacle. According to various embodiments, the first volume V occupied by the first number N of articles shall be equal to between 0% and 400% of the volume VR of first receptaclesuch that in at least one embodiment the first number of articles N overfills the first receptacleprior to the first number of articles being “groomed” by the application of pressure to compress the first of articles such that they fit with the volume VR of first receptacle; after one or more such groomings, the first receptaclecan be closed and/or otherwise sealed so that it can be transported or shipped to its destination such as a store address or a customer address.

According to various embodiments, receptacle assignment engineis configured to compare the volume V of the first number of articles N to a volume VR of the first receptacle. After one or more “groomings” of the articles by the application of pressure to compress the first of articles such that they fit within the volume VR of first receptacle, the first volume V occupied by the first number N of articles is reduced and otherwise compressed to have a reduced total compressed volume VC such that the total compressed volume VC of all of the first number N of articles, i.e., the total compressed volume VC of the first number N of articles, is less than or equal to volume of first receptacleVR. After the required one or more groomings to reduce the volume of the first number of articles to a compressed volume VC, the first receptacleis closed and/or otherwise sealed with all of the first number N of articles present therein. Accordingly, in at least one embodiment, the first number N of articlesare compressed such that the total compressed volume VC of all of first number N of articles is less than the total volume VR of first receptacle.

According to at least one embodiment, the first number of articles N are compressed manually by a manual operator such that all of the first number N of articles fit into first receptacle; in other words, a person gets to the location of the first receptacleand manually compresses the overfilled articles into first receptacleto result in the total compressed volume VC of all of first number N of articles. According to at least one alternate embodiment, the first number N of articlesare compressed by automated means to arrive at the total compressed volume VC of all of first number N of articles such that the first number of articles can fit into the first receptacleafter which first receptaclecan be closed and/or otherwise sealed with all of the first number N of articles present therein.; in such an embodiment, a robotic arm or some other automated compressing mechanism compresses the overfilled articles into first receptacleto arrive at the total compressed volume VC of all of first number N of articles after which first receptaclecan be closed and/or otherwise sealed with all of the first number N of articles present therein.

According to various embodiments, systemis further configured to transmit information indicating that the first receptacleis ready to be compressed, at which point the first receptaclecan be compressed either manually or by automated means. According to various embodiments, systemis optionally further configured to transmit information indicating that the first receptacleis ready to be compressed for a second time; in such an embodiment, there may be more than one instance of compression the articles deposited into the first receptacle. In some embodiments, the first receptaclemay be compressed on 2, 3, 4 or more occasions based on the needs of the application at hand. According to various embodiments, systemis further configured to transmit the information indicating that the first receptacleis ready to be compressed in such a manner that it can be received at a hand-held computing device or smart device. According to various embodiments, systemor receptacle assignment engineis further configured to calculate or estimate an uncompressed and a compressed volume of the first number of articles to be deposited into the first receptacle.

According to various embodiments, chamber bankfurther comprises a ramp or transition such as ramp(see) extending towards a top edge of the rear wallof chamber. As noted earlier, receptaclemay sit within the walls of chambersuch that each of left wall, right wall, and rear wallextends one or more inches, for e.g., anywhere betweeninch andinches or more, above top rimof receptacle. This provides for a spacing of betweeninch andinches or more between the bottom-most point or the bottom-most edge of rampthat extends towards a top edge of the rear wallof the chamber. According to various embodiments, rampcomprises an article sliding pathdefined by two or more guidesprojecting upwards from ramp(see).

According to various embodiments, chamberof systemfurther comprises a gate such as gateextending across an opening at a front region of chamber. In one embodiment, gateextends across a whole of the spacing separating left walland right wall. According to one or more embodiments, gateextends across an opening at a front region of chamber. In various embodiments, an upper edge of gateextends several inches (e.g., betweeninch andinches or more) above top rimof receptacle; this feature can advantageously support articles overfilled into receptacleand can otherwise advantageously prevent such overfilled articles from falling off of receptacleor off of chamber. Accordingly, whereas such overfilled articles would have slid and fallen off of receptacleor off of chamberin the absence of gate, gateextending several inches above top rimof receptacleadvantageously increases the holding capacity of receptacleor of chambercontaining receptacle. As noted earlier, floorof chamberslopes downward from the rear walltowards the front region of chamber, and this sloping profile of floorfacilitates the easy removal of an order complete receptacle or a full receptacle.

Chamberfurther comprises latchfor detachably securing gate. In one embodiment, latchtakes the form of a magnetic latch that secures gatewith the gate comprising a ferrous material at least in an area that mates with latch. In various embodiments, chamber bankaccordingly further comprises a lock or latch such that latchfor securing gate. In some embodiments, latchis configured for quick release or easy release such a minimal force above a low threshold value is sufficient to release the lock or latch. In one embodiment, latchis a magnetic lock or a similar other locking mechanism.

depicts an exemplary flowchart of an exemplary implementation of an improved sorting system for directing a sorting operation, according to one or more implementations of the presently disclosed subject matter.accordingly depicts a flowchart of an exemplary process corresponding to systemthat may be implemented, for example, by server.illustrates a method implemented by system, according to one or more embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter. At step, a system such as systemassigns a first number of articles to a first receptacle such as first receptacle. At step, systemdirects a transport device such as transport deviceto deposit the first number of articles at the first receptacle. At step, the system determines that the first receptacleis overfilled. At step, systemtransmits information indicating that the first receptacleis ready to be compressed. At step, systeminitiates the replacement of first receptacle. At step, systemdetermines that the replacement of first receptaclehas been accomplished.

depicts another exemplary flowchart of an exemplary implementation of an improved sorting system for directing a sorting operation, according to one or more implementations of the presently disclosed subject matter. The exemplary process shown inmay be implemented, for example, by server.illustrates a method implemented by system, according to one or more embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter. At step, systemassigns a first number of articles to a first receptacle. At step, the system directs a transport deviceto deposit less than the first number of articles at first receptacle. At step, systemdetermines that the first receptacleis overfilled. At step, the system transmits information indicating that the first receptacleis ready to be compressed; the articles deposited into first receptacleare then compressed by manual or automated means. At step, systemredirects transport deviceto deposit the remaining of the first number of articles at first receptacle. At step, the system initiates the replacement of the first receptacle. At step, the system determines that the replacement of first receptaclehas been accomplished.

According to various embodiments, systemfurther comprises a sensor such as sensor(see) for detecting a fill level or an overfill level of first receptacleor of chamber. In various embodiments, sensormay take the form of a photo-eye sensor. In at least one embodiment, sensorcomprises one or more of: an infra-red sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a visible light sensor, and a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor. In various embodiments, serveris in wired or wireless communication with one or more of: sensorand secondary sensor. Each of sensorand secondary sensoris configured to sense the filling level or an overfilling level of a receptacle, for e.g., to sense whether a receptacle is empty, filled, or overfilled. In at least one embodiment, after systemidentifies that a specific receptaclehas been filled or has been overfilled as determined by one or more of sensorand secondary sensor, and systemdetermines that no more grooming of articles within the specific receptacleis required or needed, serverdirects a person, a robot, or an automated device to transport full receptaclefrom its article receiving position that is proximal platformor proximal platform assemblyto a location of further processing. In some embodiments, the full receptacleis removed manually.

Accordingly, in various embodiments, serveris in communication with sensorconfigured to sense if and when a receptaclehas been overfilled.illustrate some embodiments of sensorthat senses the filling level of receptacleby employing a light plane or a light curtain set-up. In some embodiments, sensorincludes an emitter and a receiver, as is well understood by a person of skill in the art. Sensoroperates to sense that a receptacle is overfilled, filled, or is about to become full. In various embodiments, sensoris in two-way communication with serveror with system. In one embodiment, sensortakes the form of an optical sensor such as, for e.g., a photo-eye sensor. In one embodiment, sensorin the form of an optical sensor shown inthat includes a field of visionthat sensorutilizes to determine that a destination receptacle such as receptaclehas become full, has been overfilled or is in need of grooming, according to one or more implementations of the presently disclosed subject matter. In one embodiment, when the field of visionindicates that the receptacleis 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% or 99% full, or is over 100% full (i.e., has overfilled), serverin communication with sensorreceives such information about receptaclefrom sensorand optionally also from secondary sensor. In various embodiments, secondary sensorshares the same or similar qualities as sensor.

In at least one embodiment, serveridentifies or recognizes or receives information indicating that all receptaclespresent in a given chamber bankare full; on the recognition of or on the confirmation that all receptaclespresent in a given chamber bankare full, serveris further configured to direct replacement of all full receptaclespresent within the “full” chamber bankwith replacement receptacles. In one embodiment, chamber bankincludes casters(see) that render chamber bankmobile whereby the “full” mobile chamber bankis rolled away from its position proximal to the platformand replaced with an “empty” chamber bankthat contains one or more empty receptacles. Serveris further configured to direct a transport deviceto transport and deposit articlesinto the empty receptaclesof the replaced “empty” chamber bank.

In at least one embodiment, when serverdetermines that one or more receptacleare full or have been overfilled thereby resulting in a full receptacle, serveris further configured to direct replacement of the full or overfilled receptacle(i.e., receptaclethat is full or overfilled) with a replacement receptaclewith or without grooming of the full or overfilled receptacle. In at least one embodiment, after a replacement receptacleis properly positioned in an article receiving position within chambersuch that it is ready to receive articles, serveris configured to receive confirmation of this. Serveris thus configured to receive confirmation of the replacement of the first receptacle with an empty receptacle.

In various embodiments, systemfurther comprises an article information acquisition deviceelectronically coupled to server. Article information acquisition deviceis configured to determine a product type of each article by interacting with each article. In various embodiments, serveris further configured to calculate or receive and store information such as one or more of: first volume V of a first number N of articles deposited into first receptacle, volume VR of first receptacle, and a total compressed volume VC of the first number of articles. In various embodiments, serveris further configured to calculate one or more of: a total number, a total count, and a total volume of articles delivered to or deposited at the first receptacleby transport device. Servercan have access to information regarding the total volume of the first receptaclewhereby servercan determine, calculate, or estimate the time instant when the first receptacle is full or is about to get full.

In various embodiments, transport devicesmay traverse a surface, floor area, or a platform such as platformto deposit articles into receptacles. In at least one embodiment, systemis configured to assign a second number of articles to a second receptacle. In at least one embodiment, systemis configured to re-assign some of the articles previously assigned to the first receptacleto a second receptacle. In various embodiments, systemcan further operate to coordinate the replacement of a full receptaclewith a replacement receptacle.

Systemcomprises, or is in communication with, a destination information databasewith serverof system. Systemis configured to use data available at destination information database. In some embodiments, based on the data available at destination information database, serveris further configured to optimize the total distance that needs to be traveled by one or more transport devices to fill a particular receptacle such that the total distance traveled by all transport devicesto fill that receptacle is minimized whenever possible. For example, in one implementation, a destination that is expected to receive the greatest number of articles therein is assigned to one or more receptacles that are located closest to an article induction point; this advantageously ensures that the multiple trips needed to fill a particular high demand destination involve the shortest travel durations or the shortest (one-way or two-way) travel distances. Accordingly, in at least one embodiment, serveris configured to determine that the first receptacle is located beyond a predetermined distance from an article induction point, and based on this determination, serveris further configured to re-assign the first destination to a second receptacle, wherein the second receptacle is located within the predetermined (shorter) distance from an article induction point; in other words, second receptacle is located at shorter distance from the article induction point as compared to the first receptacle. For example, serverre-assigns a first destination ID from the first receptacle to the second receptacle that is close to, or is closest to, an article induction point; accordingly, in some embodiments, the second receptacle is located within a predetermined distance from the article induction point. Serveris further configured to redirect a transport deviceto transport and deposit the first articleinto the second receptacle, for e.g., wherein the first articleis associated with the first receptacle or a first destination.

In various embodiments, transport devicecan comprise an automated mobile robot (AMR), a computer-controlled vehicle, a track-arranged device, an overhead transport device, a pedestal robot, a personal AMR, a pick assist AMR, an automated conveyor system, or any similar automated transport or transfer device. In at least one embodiment, transport devicetraverses a first surface, floor area, platform, or a track arrangement. In some embodiments, transport devicemay comprise a conveyor.depicts an example automated transport device such as transport devicefor carrying, moving, or transporting an article such as first articleto be sorted to a receptacle.

In one implementation, systemcarries out sortation operations using transport devices in the form of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). In this implementation, a given AMR has been routed to a receptacle and the system recognizes that the receptacle is full or that the receptacle has been overfilled. AMRs which are enroute to a destination receptacle which is determined to be filled up or to have been overfilled after an AMR has been dispatched by the system to deliver an article to closes, the AMR is re-routed to the new receptacle. The event of a destination receptacle being filled up or being overfilled can be determined by sensorat the location that communicates this information to server, or by serverthat calculates the total cubic volume or total weight of all of the articles sorted into that destination receptacle. Serverre-routes any enroute vehicles from the filled or overfilled receptacle location to a new receptacle's physical location. Any subsequent articles destined for the filled or overfilled receptacle destination are routed to the new receptacle's physical location. Serverinitiates or directs the change-out or grooming of the filled or overfilled receptacle or the changeout of the chamber bank containing the filled or overfilled receptacle. This initiation may be in the form of a message to another system that controls the change-out robots, or in the form of an indication to a human operator via lights, sounds, signals sent to a handheld computer, etc. When the change-out or grooming is complete, the change-out or grooming automation mechanism or human operator may send a confirmatory message to the server indicating that the location is available for another or the same assignment.

Systemmay further include an input article region that functions to hold articles prior to sorting. In one variation, the input article region includes one or more input article holders that contain unsorted articles. The article holders can be placed adjacent to article information acquisition deviceand are preferably within the reachable range of article information acquisition device. In this way, a worker, conveyor system, or a robotic system may move an article holder into position and optionally remove empty (or otherwise finished) article holders present at input article region. Articles and/or article holders may be moved through or added to the input article region using a conveyor, a chute, an autonomous mobile robot, or using any suitable mechanism. In one embodiment, one or more articles may be supplied such that an article identifier (or property) is already known to systemwhen article information acquisition deviceinteracts with the article whereby a receptaclemay be associated with the article prior to placement of the article on a transport device. In one embodiment, the order of article selection by systemmay factor in the capacity levels of receptacles such that an article is dispatched after serverdetermines that an associated receptaclehas capacity to receive the article.